Biden Gives Green Light to Open Enrollment Period As 11 Million Latinos Lack Healthcare Insurance

As 11 million Hispanics and Latinos lack health insurance in the U.S., the Biden administration gave the green light to a new open enrollment period on the government's exchange website Healthcare.gov.

The digital platform allows people to shop for and enroll in health insurance under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), launched by President Obama in 2010.

President Joe Biden announced the new period for enrollment —running from Nov.1 to Jan. 15— saying: "Americans across the country can gain the peace of mind that comes from having quality, affordable health coverage."

Last year, Biden said in a press release, over 16 million people signed up for health insurance through ACA, also known as 'Obamacare'. According to the president, the marketplace run by the government allows consumers to save an average of $800 on their premiums annually.

"In fact, four in five customers can find quality coverage for less than $10 a month. If you don't receive insurance through your employer, there are a range of quality, affordable coverage options available to you," Biden said.

Hispanic and Latino communities are getting ready to shop for health insurance through Healthcare.gov.

For those families who prefer to apply for health insurance in Spanish, CuidadoDeSalud.gov offers the same services and chances to enroll in a healthcare plan.

Currently, some 11 million Latinos are uninsured, according to the civil rights organization UnidosUS. As of last year, the group said, more than 4 million Latino adults and 600 children had gained access to affordable health coverage.

UnidosUS claims that about 70% of Latinos work in an essential sector of a national economy in which they contribute an output of $3.2 trillion.

Furthermore, as per UnidosUS, more than 50% of Latino workers do not have paid sick leave on the job.

Some organizations and private companies are offering help to Hispanics to enroll in ACA healthcare marketplaces.

Besides information on UnidosUs, HispanicFederation are organizations offering support and FierceHealthcare and Suvida Healthcare can help consumers. For its part, CSRWire.com has consulting for companies to support Hispanic employees.